Zestien portretten van actrices before 1894

This photographic print of sixteen actresses was made in France by Nadar, whose real name was Gaspard-Félix Tournachon. Here we see his work reproduced in a journal, most likely from the 1860s. Nadar was a pioneer in the democratization of portraiture through photography. These images offer a fascinating glimpse into the world of Parisian actresses during the Second Empire. The careful arrangement of the portraits, with their varying poses and costumes, speaks to the rising status of actresses as public figures. The growth of the mass media, including illustrated journals such as this one, amplified the actresses’ fame and influence. Nadar, as a commercial photographer, was keenly aware of the market for celebrity portraits. He catered to this demand while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of photography as an art form. Looking at this print, one wonders about the lives and careers of these women. Theatre archives, newspapers, and other period sources might shed light on their place in the cultural landscape of their time.